In Norwegian, for a phrase such as "my dog", you are likely to encounter both "min hund" and "hunden min". Similarly, for "your cat", there is both "din katt" and "katten din". You may wonder if there are any rules about when to use which, but there isn’t! It’s entirely up to your personal preference (with some caveats).
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If you’re looking for when to use "min" vs. "mitt" etc, look here. |
Possessive then indefinite noun [min hund]
The form that puts the possessive adjective in front of the noun is common in (bokmål) texts. It is often considered a more literary form.
It’s less used in speech, but may, with added phonetic stress[1], to focus the ownership. It’s used the same way in nynorsk
Definite noun then possessive [hunden min]
This form is also used in bokmål, and is the recommended way in nynorsk (unless you’re stressing/focusing the possessive). It’s also more common in speech.
Note that with this form, you’re also using the definite form of the noun.
E.g.
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Hunden min
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Boka mi
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Kartet ditt
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Skoene dine
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